GRAPHIC: Dog owner posts video of talk with officers after dog killed

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GRAPHIC: Dog owner posts video of talk with officers after dog killed

Warning: Some content in this video may not be appropriate for all audiences.

Salt Lake City, UT (KSTU) — Eight days after a Salt Lake City Police Officer shot and killed a man’s dog during a search for a missing child, the pet’s owner has released a video showing his first encounter with police.

Meanwhile, on Thursday evening, Sean Kendall said internal affairs investigators took a look in his backyard and Kendall said the officer was about 20 feet into his backyard when he fired two shots, killing his 2-year-old weimeraner, “Geist”

Salt Lake City police said they were searching Kendall’s neighborhood in Sugar House June 18 for a missing 3 year old when the officer went into Kendall’s backyard and felt threatened by Geist, causing the officer to open fire.

In a video recently posted, Kendall records himself right after he’s heard the news.

“About 15 minutes ago, I got a phone call from Utah Animal Control calling to tell me that an officer had shot and killed my dog. He was inside the backyard in a fenced off area,” said Kendall in the video.

He filmed himself driving home to question Salt Lake City police. Once at home, in the area of 2500 South 1500 East, Kendall says to a few officers standing outside his home, “I’m asking why you guys went on my property and why he felt the need to kill my dog.”

The officer who pulled the trigger was gone by that point, so Sgt. Joseph Cyr talked with Kendall.

“We entered the yard looking for a lost child. He was threatened by the dog and shot the dog. That’s as simple as it gets,” Sgt. Cyr said.

“So I get to bury my dog because an officer couldn’t back up and close the f—ing gate,” Kendall said during the exchange. “Something’s gotta change, and I know it wasn’t you. I’m sorry but i’m f—ing pissed.”

Salt Lake City Police aren’t saying what specific threat Geist posed to the officer, adding that it would be premature to comment during an open investigation.

Meanwhile, all seven Salt Lake City Council members sent a letter to police chief Chris Burbank Wednesday, saying the department needs to “educate” the public on police procedures when a child goes missing and how a search of nearby properties should be conducted.

The council also said Wednesday it wants a police civilian review board to independently review the case, “…to determine if appropriate force was used, and if the entry to the private property was appropriate. We request that both investigations be thorough and deliberate with results released to the public as soon as possible.”

The full letter is available as a PDF, here: Salt Lake City Council letter regarding Geist

Carly Arky, director of communications for the Humane Society of Utah, spoke about the issue.

“Within the community at large there’s a lot of people who have animals and have pets and are guardians of pets, they want the answers too,” he said.

While the council said it applauds the police department’s efforts to work with the Humane Society to give officer’s additional training to deal with animals, the Humane Society’s spokesman said there’s been no communication.

“I think we’re suited to work with the police department, but that’s up to them to contact us,” Arky said. “The story’s building. The story is building, and I think the frustration is building.”

FOX 13 News has made multiple attempts to get more details on the officer’s side of the story. We’ve been told there will be no further comment until the investigation is complete.

The Humane Society of Utah thinks this public relations nightmare is only going to fuel a “Justice for Geist” rally scheduled for Saturday.

18 comments

HARDTRUTH

Human life > Animal life

Liberal democrats place more value in the lives of animals than children. That’s why they wail and cry over one dog getting shot, but enthusiastically support the slaughter of unborn babies by the millions.

canadianwhiskeygirl

canadianwhiskeygirl

trudy, I truly understand ur feelIngs about.thIs however.Iv lost 3 dogs due to jobs or movIng.so Iv become quIte Immune. there are 3 sweet dogs In,my house, none of whIch belong to me. .2 pIts and a.pIt/lab. now, these dogs are just dogs to,me

nlcatter

John Campbell

My Dog and My Cat are My Family… I treat them as such… I am not a democrat, I am probably a lot more conservative that you are… Looking at the gate the 3 year old would have had to go through to get there a 3 year old could have never opened.. The officer should have had enough common sense to figure this out. I am totally on the side of the dogs owner. The Officer and City needs to be held accountable.

TRUDY

An animal companion is just like family to myself and alot of others. There is nothing wrong with grieving the loss of a dog or other animal. You people should be ashamed of yourselves. A man lost his dog in a very tragic and unnecessary way!!

MikeBarret

canadianwhiskeygirl

ok! I watched the vIdeo and amazIngly mr kendall dIdnt bother to questIon the offIcer standIng In the “dIstance” on hIs drIveway. he questIoned only the 2 offIcers In front of hIm wIth not a word saId to the 3rd offIcer.

FacePalm

Perhaps the officer could have used other means of self defense but a child was missing and the parents could have actually searched the home a little better before calling the police. I certainly understand this man’s frustration and he has my condolences and no doubt Chief Burbank will compensate him the best way he can. This officer made a bad choice by shooting the dog IMO, but then again I wasn’t there. What the media fails to mention is that the officer who shot the dog was also the officer that stopped a deranged gunman shooting and killing people at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City in 2007 and saved many more from losing their lives, he is also a SWAT officer and has been on the force for 10 years. Funny how WREG doesn’t mention that part. WREGs constant cop bashing is ridiculous and if MPD walks out I hope they are the first to feel the wrath of the criminal element.

I’ve heard the argument about animal lovers not loving children. That is just ridiculous. One can easily love both animals and children and the homeless and any other cause. BTW I’m not a liberal. I have 2 dogs that I keep fenced in my yard or roam in my house. I am quite sure that if someone trespasses on my property, even the police, one will attack. I have them for security and my safety. To think that the police might kill them for doing their job, makes me angry.

ron

The way you stop this sort of thing is SUE THEM. They came in his backyard without a search warrant and violated his property. A nice fat lawsuit will keep this from happening again. Its one thing if the dog was running loose down the street. Its another thing if its in your backyard and they invade your yard.

james

‘”protect and serve “is more like “protect and harass” when was the last time they counted “3” at a stop sign or right on red….but they will right you a ticket and ask “why are you in this part of town anyway”?….because its the shortest way home from work….if they were doing there jobs i wouldn’t have to worry about a safe part of town…. and my health insurance goes up are they gone help me….i think not!!!!